Business / Companies
Zimbabwe’s Electricity Supply to Increase on Repairs
10 Jan 2011 at 15:43hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's electricity supply is expected to increase in the first quarter of this year and continue improving steadily thereafter because of repairs at the main Hwange thermal power plant, the Zimbabwe Power Co. said.
"The supply out of Hwange remains fragile in spite of significant progress having been made to stabilize supply during 2010,""" the utility said in an e-mailed statement today. While Zimbabwe Power is targeting output of about 750 megawatts from Hwange, the plant was delivering 85 megawatts at midday local time, according to the company's website.
Zimbabwe has experienced daily cuts in electricity for more than a decade because Zimbabwe Power and its state-owned parent, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, couldn't afford to maintain machinery or buy coal.
The nation's other main plant, the Kariba hydropower station, was today generating 495 megawatts, less than its 750 megawatt capacity, according to Zimbabwe Power. Two generators at the six-generator plant are currently undergoing routine maintenance, it said.
While Zimbabwe requires about 2,200 megawatts of power, at full capacity it produces about 1,820 megawatts from Hwange, Kariba and three smaller thermal plants in Harare, Bulawayo and Munyati. All three will be brought into production this year, Zimbabwe Power has said.
The company is exporting about 150 megawatts to Namibia, leaving Zimbabwe with a shortfall of 930 megawatts. Zimbabwe Power plans to reduce that shortfall to 175 megawatts, it said on its website, without giving a time frame.
The company's website didn't show any imports of power today.
"The supply out of Hwange remains fragile in spite of significant progress having been made to stabilize supply during 2010,""" the utility said in an e-mailed statement today. While Zimbabwe Power is targeting output of about 750 megawatts from Hwange, the plant was delivering 85 megawatts at midday local time, according to the company's website.
Zimbabwe has experienced daily cuts in electricity for more than a decade because Zimbabwe Power and its state-owned parent, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, couldn't afford to maintain machinery or buy coal.
The nation's other main plant, the Kariba hydropower station, was today generating 495 megawatts, less than its 750 megawatt capacity, according to Zimbabwe Power. Two generators at the six-generator plant are currently undergoing routine maintenance, it said.
While Zimbabwe requires about 2,200 megawatts of power, at full capacity it produces about 1,820 megawatts from Hwange, Kariba and three smaller thermal plants in Harare, Bulawayo and Munyati. All three will be brought into production this year, Zimbabwe Power has said.
The company is exporting about 150 megawatts to Namibia, leaving Zimbabwe with a shortfall of 930 megawatts. Zimbabwe Power plans to reduce that shortfall to 175 megawatts, it said on its website, without giving a time frame.
The company's website didn't show any imports of power today.
Source - Byo24NEWS
